POWER PLAYER: Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki appears to be out front in MVP voting circles this season. ASSOCIATED PRESS

This much is clear from informal polling: Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki will be the top three finishers in the NBA MVP balloting. The order shown above is the journalistically responsible, alphabetical listing.

The real order of finish? It'll very likely be the exact opposite — and a journalistically irresponsible, wrong listing. That's because Nowitzki has not had the kind of dominant individual season to deserve it — especially when Nash has been much more of a leader for a team nearly as good and Bryant has again ditched his contemporaries to play one-on-one with Wilt Chamberlain.

The writers and broadcasters who vote for this award have gotten lazy. It slipped back in 1997 when Karl Malone was gifted an MVP award while Michael Jordan was still playing and winning everything. Here's an idea: A journalist should prioritize accuracy over generosity when it comes to his job.

The trap people are falling into now is that Nowitzki's team finally ascended to the best record in the NBA, so he must've put Dallas over the top, right? The best player on the team with the best record, right? Just like when Nash won it two years ago, right?

Let's look at it more closely. Nowitzki is coached by Avery Johnson, who was voted the NBA Coach of the Year last season and is by every possible account the unquestioned leader of that team. He is the main reason Dallas is so great this season; Johnson changed the team's culture by harping on defense and effort — and when Toronto's Sam Mitchell beats out Johnson for Coach of the Year this year, it'll be a separate injustice. (More stupid voter rationalization: We gave it to Avery last year, so he can't win it again. The reality is that Raptors president Bryan Colangelo came from Phoenix and was the one to change Toronto's culture.)

Here's something else to consider: The inside dope within the league is that the way to beat Dallas is to not worry first about Nowitzki. Check out the scoring numbers from Dallas' victories and losses.

Nowitzki's scoring is almost the same in victories (24.7 points) and losses (24.1). When Dallas loses, it's because Josh Howard is held to 13.5 points instead of 20.2 in victories and Jason Terry is held to 13.8 instead of 17.5.

Outside the numbers, there's still the inside-the-lines reality that Nowitzki tightens up late in games — as seen in that double-overtime loss to Nash's Suns last month (Howard was 7 for 19 that night) and a brain-lock inbounds turnover to lose in Denver two weeks ago (Howard was hurt in the first quarter).

Here's hoping more voters remember Dallas' two recent losses to Phoenix, because it's true that late-season games are the most revealing. That's another reason Bryant merits consideration.

Last season, Bryant got more first-place votes than anyone but Nash — rightly so because Bryant had a historic season for a good team when no other candidate was that compelling. Yet because the Lakers weren't an elite team, Bryant was left off so many ballots that he finished fourth.

That negative is even stronger in this weaker Lakers season, no matter that Bryant tried to be more valuable by surrendering his wing position to organize the offense for his teammates. Bryant will still win the scoring title and has so ruled the past few months despite double- and triple-teams that his peers readily acknowledge his preeminence.

"It's something that probably is going to flash before our eyes, and I don't think it'll ever happen again," Seattle's Rashard Lewis said of Bryant's productivity. "The only person I can think about that he's catching up with is Michael Jordan."

Jordan, though, was winning every single year. Bryant — even if he is "the best player in the league, no doubt," as Tracy McGrady told The New York Times — is on a 41-40 team and hasn't been quite as good as last season, when Bryant was more dominant offensively and sharper defensively.

Which brings us to Nash, who actually didn't top this voter's ballot either of the past two years. Yet all those who did make him two-time MVP should ask themselves this question: What in the world has Nash done worse this season? Cut his hair too short?

He remains the Suns' lead singer on and off the court, and his numbers (18.8 points, 11.6 assists, 53.4 percent field-goal shooting) are just like last season and better than the season before that. He has even improved his defense, better positioning himself and piling up opponent charging fouls this season

The Suns' offense has never been more incredible: Their 49.4 percent shooting is the NBA's best in 10 years. And Phoenix will win about as many games as two years ago (62) and way more than last season (54).

What could stop Nash from winning? Another stupid rationalization.

We voters can't really put this little dude up there with Bill Russell and Chamberlain as the only players to win three consecutive NBA awards, can we?

It's just that sort of misguided thinking that explains why Jordan isn't on that list.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.